Canada Music Week®
The aims of Canada Music Week® are to bring to the attention of the public, through various means, the importance of Canadian music; to support composers and performers of Canadian music; to introduce contemporary music to young Canadians and stimulate a keener appreciation and understanding of this music; and to encourage music educators to widen their knowledge and experience of Canadian works.
Canada Music Week® is dedicated to music in its fullest sense but since 1967 particular focus has been on the Canadian cultural content. Thousands of Canadians experience Canada Music Week festivities each year in their communities.
Young Artist Series
The Young Artist Series is a national program of the Canadian Federation of Music Teachers’ Associations. It is open to all students who are studying with a member of CFMTA/FCAPM. The Young Artist Series consists of regional competitions/auditions and performing tours. The performer for each reach regional tour is chosen through auditions or competitions. Musicians in all disciplines have the opportunity to apply for the Young Artist Series and although the majority of Young Artists have been pianists, many vocalists, violinists, cellists and other instrumentalists have been represented in the Young Artist Series.
National Piano Competition
The CFMTA offers a biennial National Piano Competition in odd-numbered years, in the same location as their convention. Each province/territory is eligible to send one competitor to compete for prizes totalling $14,000 in two levels of competition.
The competition is open to students studying with a Registered Music Teacher, at the under-graduate level or lower.
Call for Compositions
CFMTA holds a Call for Compositions each year to celebrate Canada Music Week®. The Call is open to Canadian composers and invites submissions of new, unpublished works for piano. Selected compositions are available to be downloaded for all to enjoy at www.cfmta.org.
National Essay Competition
The National CFMTA Essay Competition invites submissions of essays on any topic related to music teaching, pedagogy or performance practice. This competition is open to all Canadian residents currently attending high school, or studying at the university undergraduate and graduate levels. There is no fee to enter.
Student Composer Competition
The CFMTA/FCAPM Student Composer Competition is a national competition for First Place Winners of Provincial composition competitions. Entries are submitted by Provincial Canada Music Week® Coordinators for Canada-wide judging before June 1 each year. Scholarships are awarded to winners in each category, and the Helen Dahlstrom Award is given annually to the best national composition as selected by the adjudicator. Helen Dahlstrom was the founder of Canada Music Week®.
Hugheen Ferguson Distinguished Teacher Award
The CFMTA is pleased to offer the newly established Hugheen Ferguson Distinguished Teacher Awards as a method of honouring deserving members of Registered Music Teachers' Associations across Canada. These awards were created in memory of the late Hugheen Ferguson, whose estate gifted the CFMTA with $5000.00. Hugheen, CFMTA president from 1997 - 1999, was an extraordinary teacher, administrator and supporter of the Association and the arts throughout her lifetime.
William Andrews Award
CFMTA/FCAPM is presenting two awards of $250 each to the two entries judged as the most worthy by a panel of judges from across Canada. All branches in Canada are eligible to submit an application.